2 Belizean American basketball stars are in Belize with intentions of joining the national team.
Now, our national team has recently been handicapped at the center position because of a lack of size in the talent pool.
The officials at the Belize Basketball Federation are looking to change that with the addition of Noel Felix Jr. and Charles Garcia Jr., who are 6 feet, 9 inches, and 6 feet, 10 inches tall, respectively.
Felix, who started his career at the California State University in Fresno, has played all over the world, including the NBA, the Israeli Premier League, and the Super Basketball League in Taiwan.
Garcia played ball for Seattle University, and he then moved on to play in Turkey, and after that he went back to the US to the NBA Minor Leagues. He just recently finished playing with the Phoenix Suns in the Summer League.
With all that experience, both told 7News that they want to play for the National Team to put Belizean Basketball on the map.
Here's what they told us:
Noel Felix Jr.
"I do have the intentions of joining but also understand our goals, our federation and we want to develop our young guys as well so my job if I can is to play and win as many games as possible to pave the way for those younger guys to do their jobs as well."
Daniel Ortiz
"What do you know of the Belize National Team?"
Noel Felix Jr.
"For the last 2 years believe it or not I had intentions to come and play with our guys from 2009 but my summer was kinds of busy; I got married over the summer, I've had a baby over the summer and I've had an injury, so those 3 years it really got in the way of me having a chance of coming out here and play. Milt Palacio, a good friend of mine he played. Couple of the other guys they played. I just want to make sure I do my part to get the ball rolling and continue to build what we already started."
Daniel Ortiz
"Why are you here specifically?"
Charles Garcia Jr.
"To bring back the Belize basketball coaching, you know, we are not really big on it and we are trying to get back on it. You see and hear all these other countries bragging about their country. Now it's time to bring the light to Belize back on and we are trying to bring it back."
Daniel Ortiz
"What exactly will you bring to the national team?"
Charles Garcia Jr.
"My young youth; I am still 23 years old; athleticisms and other God given talent that he gave me, just the simple stuff trying to help this organization get right back on where it were supposed to be."
According to BBF President Paul Thompson, both men are being facilitated to become part of the National Team.
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